Artificial limb knee structure



June 27, 1950 1 H. BARGHAusx-:N 2,513,134

ARTIFICIAL LIMB KNEE STRUCTURE v Filed July 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l#Jal- ATTORNEY June 27, 1950 H, BARGHAUSEN 2,53,134

ARTIFICIAL LIMB KNEE STRUCTURE Filed July 28, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Mm@112; 5M@ Wm Y ATTORNEY Patented June 27, 1950 Avplieauongmly 28,

` 6129111115. (0;. 3&2)

wearers, t iS @punazsebf the present invniiQil ent inf Said 50 1949,sril No@ 107,268

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a knee struc- .I

ture, a right knee being shown.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail section trating the brake shoe and itsattachment to the presser bar.

In the example of embodiment herein disclosed, the improved kneestructure is shown as incorporated in an articial limb including.theusual thigh section 5 and shank section. 6

pivotallyconnected by. akne'e.` bolt 'I whichpasses through theusualside arms 8 which are riveted or otherwise secured as vat l9 to thesha-nk section.: .The knee structure includes a knee plate I Il,the-lower face of which lies in the same hori- .zont'al' plane with theaxis of the knee bolt, and

the plate includes an upstanding collar or flange II which` is circularinhorizontal vcross section -and,y adjustably fits within a circular.bore I2 `formed in .the lower end of `the thigh section. 5. It" will be`readily apparent that during the .fit- -,ting of the limb the kneestructure and the attached .shank section may, be turned axially` withinthe thigh section bore I2 .in order to adjust the direction ofprojection` of` the attached foot'V and properly lineup the limb, andthe .selected adjustment maybe secured by use of the screw bolts I3which pass through holes I4 in the thigh section and elongated slots I4a `formed in the knee plate collar or flange I l.

Theknee plate I .also includes two half cylindricaldepressionsv orrecesses .I 5'which are opposed by cast extension portions .I6 terminat-.ing inr adjuster vears I'I whichare spaced from theplate in the. mannerclearly illustrated in Figures k1, 2 and -4 of the drawings. Thedepressions I5 and -the extension portions I6 form bearings in which toreceive split bearing sleeves I8 which may be formed. of ber orcomparable acceptable bearing material in vwhi'chto receive the kneebolt 1. A longitudinal screw I8 extends through abore in each adjusterear I'I and into a receiving tapin theplate I0, and oneach said screw isincluded and adjuster head which engages the respective ear I1 so thatupon ad-` justment of the screwinone direction or anotherthe respectivebearing sleeve I8 may be ,contractedor permitted to expand so .as tovary the friction appliedfto the knee bolt and effective to resist freeturning thereof within said sleeves.

The central portion of the knee plate is cut away in the manner vclearlyillustrated Vin Figures 2, 3.and 5 of thedrawings in order'toaccommodate the knee check which is generally designated ZI, and saidknee check includes a hub 22 which is split and securely clamped by ascrew 23 about the knee bolt 1. Thus it will be apparent that the shanksection,'the knee check 2I and theknee bolt 'I swing in unison. The kneecheck is secured at the front as at 24 lWithin the shank section E, andalso at the rear as at 25 within said shank section. 'This knee check isshaped in the manner clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6 of thedrawings to provide a front check stop 26, a rear check stop 21 and acap clearance 28. The front check stop 26 is engageable with a bumperl29 mounted as at 30 on the knee plate I0, and the rear check stop 21 isengageable with a bumper 3I mounted as at 32 on said knee plate.Engagement of the front check stop 26 with the front bumper 3B limitsswinging movement of the shank section in the forward direction at theposition illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, and engagement of the rearcheck stop 2I with the rear bumper 3l limits swinging movement of theshank section in the rearward direction in the manner indicated in dotand dash lines in Figure 4.

A knee cap 33 is Secured to the knee plate f I0 by screws 34, andaligning tapered dowel pins 35 project from the upper edge of the kneeplate and are engagea-ble in aligning recesses 36 provided in the kneeplate IB. The engagement of the tapered pins 35 in the recesses 36serves to maintain the meeting edges ofthe knee plate Yand the knee capin alignment, and should there be any springing of the kneecap duringcasting or hard usage, said aligning pins and recesses will serve todraw the parts into yproper cooperative relation and alignment. It willbe apparent Iby reference toY Figure 6 that the knee cap lalso includesapertures 38 through which the tension adjuster screws I9 may bemanipulated.

T-he center openingin the knee plate I0 also 'clears the crank extension39 provided on the "knee check 2 I, said extension being equipped with aroller 46 under which passes bight of a control ,strap 4I depending fromthe usual belt or other control harness (not shown). It is well known:in the art that the connection of the strap 4I with Athe crank roller4UV enablesthe wearer of thelimb tto. exert'an upward `pull on thevcrank extension which iseiective to throw the rshank section forjwardduring Walking, and by this manner of controlling the swinging movementof the shank fsection, in conjunction with proper control offthefriction, the wearer of the limb is enabled to walk with the artificiallimb with easefand lcom- `fort. A

' It will be noted by reference to Figures 1, 3,'4 "and 6 of'thedrawingsthatV the knee plate I0 includes an upstanding outer abutment flange 42,

and in this flange and in the collar or ange II a slotway, 4.3 isprovided in which an adjuster ,wheel 44 is rotatably conncd with itsperiphery ,projecting only slightly vthrough the outside of the slotwayinthe mannerV clearly illustrated, especially in Figures Zand 3. Thecaptivewheel 44 is threaded on an adjuster screw V45 which.

passes through a smooth bore 46 in the knee' plate II) in line with oneof the laterally disposed friction bearings. At the' side at which theadjuster wheel 44 ismountedfthe kneeplate is' equipped with an anchorlug 41 to. which a heavy but flexible presser bar 48 is anchored at oneend as at 49. The adjustably anchored presser bar is` apertured as at 50to receive a" reduced hub extension 5I of a brake shoe 52,preferablyformed o f bronze. The reduced hub extension 5I is floatablysecured to the presser bar '48 and within the aperture 5l by means of-ascrew 53, and the outerface of the brake shoe. 52 which opposesthepresser bar 4.8

preferably is curved aslat 54. It' will .be apparent by reference toFigures 4, 5 and 7 of the drawings that the inner face of the brake shoeis curved, as at 55, on the same radius as the outer surface of -theknee bolt 1-so as to lie snugly -thereagainst for braking contacttherewith', and said face is lubricantralonet omasta lubricanteand:aigrior:;other rsuitabjle: nommetaliicixnateria nated vwith :graphite-i.":Flhezftllerrmay face, 'i the zidea .being itc oprovideiiust the rightamount of.:frictionandyetpassuresagainii'ellline- Itt isv .to :be:understood; however; ,that f s thelmail) .brakingactionorffriction-appication'd provided by the.metal:to..metal*con-tactA 'b'etvveexr.thev brot-125e shoesurfacenanditlnekneetbolt'1.

It will; beia'pparent by;refereneeltliiigutefthat the presserv bari48.1'sprovided fwithi anzraperture l forclearingtheadiustertsorewtfandfthevhed 2'0 thereof: .associatefdrnzithithefrespectiyebearing earextension :I 1, rand 2 afscompresson 15m-ing# '.533

surrounds :said iscrewibetweenrtheadjagent ar y,I 1 andrthe opposing?facey `:of-:the bar1:.4;8 zandrSer-ve$ toconstantly urgezthebaremadirection for- -displacing the :brake shoe; .522 fromrits,..1fr,itf.ion X1132.11:

trolling contact with the knee boltrl. finie-tadreadily. interstate manrefinements for controlling the swing of the shank section in accordancewith the gait of a particular wearer or demands of varyingclimaticconditions will section and adjusted therein to suit the requirements ofthe particular wearer. f It is of marked advantage to provide theefcient checking of the shank movement both inthe forward and rearwarddirection, and the simple finger Wheel adjustment 44 which enables theadjustment of the frictionapplied tothe kneebolt by the wearer himself,without the use of special tools and without the necessitiT of seeking aplace of privacy in which to make the manipulation."

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes ofillustration it is to be clearly understood that vvarious changes in thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

n l. In an articial limb, a thigh section, a shank section, meansforming a pivotal connection between said sections and including a pivotbolt movable with one said section, and means carried by the other ofsaid sections for applying variable frictional resistance to relativemovement of said bolt and comprising, an elongated presser bar anchoredat one end on said other section, a brake shoe attached to said bar andengaging the knee bolt, .9, screw attached to said bar, and a ngerwheelheld captive and rotatable onv said other section and threadableorrsaidfscrewwherebyrretate Ofr'therwhelfwilil j `snwturfe @einenmolaire ake shoe comprises ai twill 'be apparent that by adjusting-thescrews 1 thigh SQSLQEI ahmk .aandgleansior aaai Qt reaction between aidsections and including-aikneeplate secured to thethigh section andhaving knee bolt bearing means thereon, and a knee bolt secured -to andmovable with the shank section and rockable in said bearing means, saidbearing means having an opening therein exposing an external surface ofthe knee bolt, an elongated presser bar anchored at one end on the kneeplate, a brake shoe Aattached to said bar and engaging the knee boltthrough the bearing means opening, a screw attached to the bar, and afinger wheel held captive and rotatable in a slot in said plate andextending slightly through the slot beyond the peripheral edge of thevplate.

for finger manipulation and threadable on said screw whereby rotation ofthe wheel will impart longitudinal movement to said screw and through itmovement tothe brake shoe toward or from said bolt to increase ordiminish frictional resistance to movement of the bolt.

6. Artificial limb structure as defined in claim` 5 in lwhich the kneebolt bearing means comprises a pair of laterally'spaced split .bearingsin one of which the brake shoe receiving opening is formed, there beingincluded means for individually adjusting the bearings to apply movementresisting friction to the knee bolt with relation to which the fingerwheel manipulation constitutes supplementary friction adjustment.

7. Artificial limb structure as defined in claim 5 in which the kneebolt bearing means comprises a pair of laterally spaced split bearingsin one ,ofwhich the brake shoe receiving opening kis formed, there beinginclude means for individually adjusting the bearings to apply movementresisting friction to the knee bolt with relation to `which the fingerWheel manipulation consti- 7' 5 'iny whichl the fknee boltv bearingmeans compri'sesapair-*bf laterally spaced split bearings in one ofwhich the brake shoe receiving opening is formed, there being included ascrew means for adjusting each bearing to apply movement resistingfriction `to the knee bolt, one said screw means passing through anaperture formed in the-presser bar, andthere being included acompression spring interposed between thev presser bar and the adjacentybearing and about said one screw means and eiective to constantly tendto move the bar in a direction for relieving the pressure of thebrake'shoe against the knee bolt. Y 9. Artificial limb structure asdened in claim 5 finA which the knee plate lhas an upstanding circularcollar adjustably mounted in a bore in the lower end of the thighsection so that vby turningy the collar in said bore the angularrelation of the thigh and shank sections can be varied.

l0. Articial limb structure as dened in claim 5 in which the knee platehas an upstanding circular collar extending into and turnable in aboreformed in the lower end of the thigh section, said collar having'longitudinal slots therein and being secured to the thigh section bybolts passing through said slots andl through apertures in the thighsection and permitting adjustment of the collar in the bore effective tovary the angularrela'tion of the thigh and shank sections.

8 411'1.. Infanf' articial ."zlimb, a thigh section, .a shanky section;a, 'knee `'forming a pivotal 'connectionrbetvveenisaid sections, saidknee including a pivot bolt,a knee `plate secured to the thigh sectionvand having a="centrally disposed control device accommodating opening,control devices operablein part insaid opening and including a knee'che'ck'securedfto said shank'section, and a control strap .bightreceiving crank, said knee plate including a `knee bolt bearing at eachside of the center opening, one said bearing having anl opening thereinthrough which the knee bolt is exposed, and variable vfriction applyingmeans lcomprising a brake shoe projecting through said bearing openinginto contact with the knee bolt, and means for applyingl the shoe to theknee bolt'with variable pressure including an adjuster Wheelmounted,on`the knee plate and extending a' limited vdis'tar'ice'outwardly therefromfor finger manipulation.'l y

' f "L'O'UIS HERMAN BARGHAUSEN.

REFERENCES CITED ,The lfollowing reierences are of record in. the Vi'lleof this patent:

V"Han'ger" 'v Oct. 26, 1948

